In this milestone episode, the Sockel brothers welcome their first-ever guest, longtime friend Pat Sullivan, for an open, honest, and often hilarious conversation about the unpredictable ride of parenting. From Adam navigating life with his now nine-week-old daughter, Wren (who's officially outgrowing her dog bed), to Jason balancing sports, activities, and teen boyfriends with his three kids — the bros get real about the chaos, the logistics, and the importance of staying present through it all.

Pat shares the deeply personal story of his family's harrowing and inspiring experience with premature birth, NICU life, and how his eldest son, Eamon, continues to thrive today. The conversation takes listeners through what it's like to go from high-risk pregnancy to NICU to life at home, and how their second son's birth was a totally different experience. If you're a new parent, a seasoned dad, or just curious about the many flavors of the parenting journey, this episode has something for you.

We also dive into:

• The magic of oversized bottles (and how fast babies can outgrow them)

• Jason's chaotic family activity calendar (spoiler: it involves soccer, t-ball, dance, and rock climbing)

• The logistics of prioritizing parental fitness, relationship health, and solo time

• Why letting kids be kids (and being okay with being late) is the best mental health tip of all

💡 Dad Stuff of the Week:

• Pat recommends the Crunch Labs subscription box and old-school fishing to get kids off screens.

• Jason shares travel hacks like inflatable booster seats and car seat harnesses for city adventures.

• Adam highlights the Wonder Weeks app — a game-changer for understanding your newborn's mental leaps (and their sudden, unexplained crankiness).

Welcome back to Let's Dad This, the podcast by two brothers just trying to dad their best. In Episode 3, "When It All Goes Wrong," Adam and Jason get real about what happens when the parenting plan derails—hard.

From poop emergencies to delivery room scares, this one dives deep into the messiness of being a dad, emotionally and literally. Buckle up.

👶 Little Baby Topics

• Holden's Revenge: Adam shares a very crappy story involving his 15-year-old Weimaraner, Holden, and the aftermath of a restaurant outing with baby Wren.

• One Month of Wren: Baseball onesies, longer stretches of sleep (hallelujah!), and what early dad life really feels like.

• Group Pediatric Visits: Adam and Alex attend a newborn group checkup—and discover the magic of not feeling alone in the chaos.

• To Swear or Not to Swear?: The bros talk about keeping things clean-ish for the sake of other parents and their kiddos.

• The Night Shift: Jay asks how Adam and Alex are surviving the newborn nighttime routine—and spoiler alert, they're crushing it (for now).

🍼 Big Baby Topic: When It All Goes Wrong

After sharing Wren's birth story in the previous episode, this week Jason opens up about the birth of his two youngest kids, Eliza and Skye. It's real, it's raw, and it gets heavy.

• Eliza's birth: back labor, midwives, and a surprise speed-up to delivery.

• Skye's birth: a smooth start… and then a terrifying postpartum hemorrhage that nearly took Jess's life.

Jason's honest reflection on being scared but trying to stay calm, supporting his wife, and what it means to be a partner when everything feels like it's falling apart will stay with you long after the episode ends.

💡 Dad Stuff of the Week

Some real MVPs for the parenting trenches:

• Snuggle Me Lounger (or its cousin, the DockATot): The portable baby nest that looks suspiciously like a dog bed but makes newborn life easier.

• Temperature Turtle (Dream Baby Bath Thermometer): Because boiling your baby is bad.

• Portable Sound Machines: White noise is king.

• Video Monitors with Temperature Sensors: Peace of mind at a glance.

• Dye-Free, Scent-Free Laundry Detergent: Sensitive skin = happy baby.

• BlueLand Cleaning Products: Environmentally-friendly and surprisingly awesome.

• Creative Explained on Instagram: Lemon peels + baking soda = household magic.

📺 Bonus Content & Where to Follow

• 🎥 Full video episodes + extra parenting content are on YouTube and TikTok.

• Like, subscribe, and leave a review—it helps more dads (and moms) find us.

A SECOND episode!?!!?

In this one, big brother Jay flips the script on new dad Adam to explore how new parents actually want to receive advice—without the unsolicited opinions. Adam shares what it's been like navigating the first two weeks with his newborn daughter, including the books that helped (and didn't help) prepare him for dad life. The brothers also get into the nitty-gritty of labor and delivery, discussing the highs, the lows, and the moment Wren made her dramatic entrance into the world.

We wrap up with our Dad Stuff segment—where we talk about the gear, gadgets, and parenting hacks getting us through dad life.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

🔹 How to actually give advice to new parents without being annoying 🔹 The best (and worst) parenting books for preparing for newborn life 🔹 What happens during a 30-hour labor and emergency C-section 🔹 Why Dave's Cosmic Subs should be sponsoring this podcast 🔹 Must-have dad tools for newborns and toddlers

Episode Highlights:

🍼 Little Baby Topic #1: How do new dads want to receive advice? (Hint: unsolicited = bad) 📚 Little Baby Topic #2: What parenting books helped in the first two weeks? (Spoiler: Mom's On Call wins) 🎢 Main Event: The emotional rollercoaster of Baby Sockel's birth—30 hours of labor, emergency C-section, and an unforgettable moment 🛠️ Dad Stuff: From the Owlet monitor to the Huckleberry app and why Jay is bulk-ordering pouches

Stuff We Talked About:

• Books Mentioned: Mom's On Call, Matrescence, Expecting Better, Crib Sheet, Bringing Up Bébé
• Dad Gear We Love: Owlet sock, Huckleberry tracking app, Avent & Dr. Brown's bottles, magnet onesies (with an anti-magnet PSA)
• Toddler Gear Jay Swears By: Resolve pet spray (for accidents of all kinds), Wellamint's Chest Rub, and endless smoothie pouches

Shoutouts:

🚨 Special thanks to the incredible nurses at University Hospitals for guiding Adam and Alex through a challenging but ultimately rewarding delivery experience. 🥪 Also, big love to Jay and Jess for being the first to deliver food post-baby—Italian subs do taste better after labor.

Follow & Connect with Us:

📩 Have a dad dilemma or question? Hit us up! 🎧 Subscribe, rate, and review if you're loving Dad Bros!

~Michael Buffer takes the mic~

LETS GET READY TO BABYYYYYYYYY

In this inaugural episode of Dad Bros, brothers Jay and Adam dive into the purpose of this show!

One of them as a seasoned dad of three, and the other as a dad-to-be with a baby arriving in just three days! They share why they started the podcast, what listeners can expect, and dive into early parenting questions like when to tell loved ones you're expecting, finding out the baby's gender (or not!), and who should be in the delivery room.

Adam also reflects on preparing for his first child's arrival while Jay dishes out wisdom from his 14 years of parenting experience—including why new dads should expect to have way more earworms than they ever imagined.

What's Inside:

🍼 Why start another dad podcast? (Hint: There aren't enough out there for dads!) 🤔 When should you tell people you're expecting?

The brothers share their personal stories, including dealing with loss and deciding when to share the news.

🎉 Finding out the baby's gender: Should you or shouldn't you?

🏥 Who should be in the delivery room? 📅 Should dads be involved in baby showers and OB appointments? 💡 How can a soon-to-be dad best support mom?

Dad Hack of the Week:

💩 Poop logistics matter! The brothers discuss the best diaper disposal methods (diaper genies vs. doggy bags) and why Arm & Hammer stick-on deodorizers are a must-have.

Next Episode Preview:

Next time, Adam will be a dad! He and Jay will unpack the first few weeks of newborn life, including what surprised him the most, sleep deprivation strategies, and his first "Is this normal?" 4 AM text to Jay.

Subscribe & Follow: Don't miss an episode—subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! Follow us on YouTube for behind-the-scenes updates and hilarious dad moments.

Welcome to Dad Bros! A podcast by bros just trying to dad their best.

Jason and Adam Sockel are brothers and dads with varying levels of experience. Jay has been a dad for going on 14 years and Adam is just embarking on this journey with a brand new baby!

Every episode, they will discuss topics that are important to all parents and parents-to-be but through the lens of fathers trying to raise good kids in a world that isn't so great.

You can expect to hear a lot of Adam freaking out about his newborn, Jay assuring him that color of poop is normal, and a whole lot of genuine conversations about figuring out what it means to be a good father.

Subscribe by searching Dad Bros podcast in Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Artwork credit: Adam Gunn

Royalty Free Music: https://www.bensound.com

Artist: Benjamin Tissot

License code: LP7RX8PK58ROBY6W